Battling Blues too strong for gritty Wasps in second half to retain Bishop Cup

Bishop Cup

Haverfordwest 37 - Llangwm 8

 
Referee: Martyn Rudd
Venue: Pembroke Road, Haverfordwest

*All excellent pictures by kind permission of William John**
 
Haverfordwest confirmed their tag as hot favourites to retain the Bishop Cup with a second half performance that ensured Blues’ skipper Karl Busch collected the trophy so coveted by both clubs in the games’ long history – but not before The Wasps had restricted the interval deficit to a single score with a typically committed performance but inevitably tired after the interval as Haverfordwest ran in 22 unanswered points.
 
The interest in this two-club competition could be gauged by the massive crowd from both camps which thronged the touchline and filled the bar, giving their usual vociferous and one-eyed support to their favourites in an all-action clash which was well refereed by Martyn Rudd and which was only marred by a neck injury sustained by Wasps’ flanker Will Ridge which saw him stretchered off, as the game was correctly delayed for ten minutes, and taken  to hospital for a scan.
 
Ridge had started because Morgan Scott-Rogers was held up in motorway traffic but luckily the popular all-round sportsman was eventually allowed home to recuperate and all rugby lovers will wish him a speedy return to action.

Big hits and total commitment from the outset

 
As usual the game started at a terrific pace as Llangwm’s pack tore into their opponents, which showed they weren’t about to roll over against players from a division higher, with prop Ieuan Power making his first appearance for ten weeks and leading alongside the likes of skipper Ashley James and teenager Arwyn O’Loughlin in the second row, plus No 8  Morgan Rees, Callum Jenkins and the rest of an eager Wasps’ pack.
 
And it was another James who coincidently opened the scoring for Llangwm after Callum Jenkins, Joe Newton and Owain Jones had also helped earn a penalty which talented No 10 George James accurately placed between the posts to set The Wasps off on a good footing.
 
This was soon cancelled out, however, when Jack Codd, only recently switched to outside half and discovered as a very accurate place kicker by Haverfordwest, notched his first penalty of the match after the hardy old-timers up front in Tom Carrington, Jamie Zambas, Mike Griffiths, Andrew Edwards and skipper Karl Busch helped secure the platform, ably assisted by Jake Evans, Dan Berry and Dylan Williamson as young No 9 Isaac Kelso-Jones snapped away at their heels.
 
And that is the way the score stayed for a while as both packs enjoyed their usual arm wrestles but eventually The Blues opened their try account when winger Scott Candler used his pace to squeeze in at the corner and Codd converted – but this reverse led to the visitors raising their tempo again and a sustained forward drive saw the afore-mentioned Rees the chance to plough over from close range.
 
The Blues had the final word of a gripping first half, however, as a terrific cover tackle by Jack Evans released the ball, which allowed winger George Hopkins the chance to pick up and dive over unopposed in the clubhouse corner in front of a packed crowd.

Changes made – but still total commitment as The Blues’ pack started to apply pressure

 
Both teams made a number of changes from the large bench cohorts but it was Haverfordwest who began to gain the ascendancy as The Wasps’ pack inevitably tired after their yeoman first half efforts.
 
It was veteran hooker Jamie Zambas added his name to the home try sheet in the way he has done so many other times, rounding off a carefully-maintained forward drive - and skipper Karl Busch put the result beyond all doubt as he ploughed through before Codd added the extra points.
 
Busch was also heavily involved when Jake Evans grabbed a try as reward for his support play, with the skipper spotting a gap in the Llangwm defence and charged through it before off-loading to Scott Candler received a good off-load and supplied No 8 Evans with the final pass that saw him race to the posts for Codd to add the simple extras.
 
Even then Haverfordwest hadn’t finished as they were awarded a penalty and Codd notched a penalty to ironic comments from some comments that were decidedly Waspish, but good natured!




 

Wasps go close late on – and Rees receives the coveted man of the match tankard

 
Llangwm’s pack did raise one final gallop near the end with a charge to the line but referee Rudd ruled the ball had been held up, with the neutral onlookers amongst us hoping that The Wasps had managed a second try as reward for their part in the action.
 
Gelly James, a terrific player for the Blues as a younger man, presented the Roy James Memorial Trophy, presented annually by the family, with his cousin Matthew Kelly, another very good scrum half at Haverfordwest and now a top sports photographer, joining him -and their decision to pick Llangwm No 8 Morgan Rees was a popular one.
 
Haverfordwest skipper Karl Busch accepted the Bishop Cup on behalf of his team and then many old memories were revived in the packed bar and lounge on another local derby which reflected all that is good in Pembrokeshire Rugby - and with the good news that Llangwm player Will Ridge was out of hospital with a bruised neck but hopefully on the mend at home in readiness for a return to sporting action in the new year as a very good indoor-league batsman with Burton CC!




 
Haverfordwest: Owain Roberts: Scott Candler; Jack Evans; Matty Phillips; George Hopkins: Jack Codd; Isaac Kelso-Jones:  Tom Carrington; Jamie Zambas; Dan Berry: Karl Bush (Capt); Andrew Edwards: Dylan Williamson; Mike Griffiths; Jake Evans. Replacements:  Ben Llewellyn; Rhydian Watkins; Teifion Owen; Logun Young; Josh Young; Ioan Hawkridge-Jones; Liam Eaton; Guy Barrons; Liam Gainfort; Kyran Mason;  Archie Thomas; Johnny White.
 
Llangwm:  Breig Matthews: Jack Roberts; James Price; Yale Grice; Aidan Rees: George James; Steffan Thomas: Ieuan Power; Callum Jenkins; Joe Newton: Ashley James (Capt); Arwyn O’Loughlin: Owain Jones; Will Ridge; Morgan Rees. Replacements (from): Matt Rees; Charlie Wilson;  Gavin Jones; Will Ridge; Ian Griffiths; Flynn Tjoonk; Rhys Power; Giovanni Hitchings; Ollie Gerson; Harry Makepeace; Mikey Phillips; Rhys Llewellyn; Dylan Philpott.